Someone to Love
by Jobi
Summary: With the sudden wave of SephirothxTifa fics, I've been inspired to write one of my own!
1. intro

Someone to love

-intro-

I knew he would leave me, and he did.It was all too obvious from the look in his eyes.When I looked at him, all I could see was pain, loss, and suffering.He barely spoke to me.He would sit and stare out into space and nothing would faze him.

He said he went to go find himself and that he would be back in a few months.Leaving me with nothing but promise of his return, and a necklace that used to belong to his mother.I guess he expected me to hold on to it, and that's what I did.

I held on, longer than I should have.

For months, I waited for his return, a return that deep down, I didn't expect him to make. This is where I am now, waiting alone for the love of my life to return me. 

AN: Yeah, it's short, but it's the whole point! Anyway, onto the Story!


	2. One

Someone to Love

-one-

It was cold and wet, typical Nibelheim weather.Tifa Lockhart ran through the streets of the small town despite the moist fog dampening her clothes ad hair.She had to get out of that town, she didn't care where she went as long as it wasn't in the city proper.

She ran for an twenty minutes before finding her favorite spot to be alone.It was deep in the woods, hidden behind the dark shadows of the tall trees.A Lifestream well, much like the one in Meediel but on a much smaller scale, that none else had found. At least not to her knowledge.

Tifa sat there, staring at the green depths of the Life stream and she gained an inner peace, despite the war raging within her soul. She could hear Aeris' voice talking to her.Although she didn't quite know what she meant, she could sense her deceased friend's genuine worry for her well being.

Hours passed by, without her knowing it.All she did was stare at the tempting green pool, and deal with her thoughts. What had she done wrong?What did she do to make him do that?! 

She was drawn from her thoughts rather abruptly when she heard splashing noises and wild gasps for air on the other side of the mini lake. Immediately she ran to the person, obviously a man from the groans of pain that they were making.

The man lay on his stomach, face firmly embedded in the green-yellow sand.His body was covered in lacerations that were still bleeding.He, groaned out in pain again.The Mako of the Lifestream must have got into his wounds and begun to poison him.

Tifa felt sorry for him and kneeled down next to his shoulders.She turned him over, took a look at his face.She gasped.It was him! The silver hair, now stained a light green. The prominent nose, all the features of a man that she respected, yet hated.A man that had caused so much pain and loss in her life was right here in front of her.Sephiroth.

He opened his eyes, and looked at her. They were no longer the eerie glowing green as they had been when she last saw him.Now, they were a peaceful blue.His face contorted into pain once again.

"Help me." He said to her his voice barely above a whisper. He gasped for air once a gain, and cried out.

Now, it she had to help.He truly needed her help.It was a question of morality, and Tifa wouldn't leave him to die, even if he deserved it.

"It's ok. I'll help you." She said to him.He looked up at her and seemed to recognize her face, remember what he had done to her in the past. "Can you walk?Even a little bit?"

He gave her a weak nod.She stood up and hoisted him up, and put one of his arms around her neck.He walked only enough, so she would be dragging him along.It took forty minutes to reach Nibelheim and thankfully, no one was out in the streets.

She unlocked the door to her house and led him in.They went up the stairs to her old bed room and she laid him on the bed.

"Get some rest." She said. "I'll have to go get some supplies. I'll be back soon." 

"Thank you." Sephiroth whispered to her.She simply nodded and headed out the door. 

Tifa had never in her wildest dreams, imagined that the almighty Sephiroth would be depending on her.But, she had to admit, he really did need the help.

She wandered the aisles of the store looking for bandages, pain reliever, antidotes, and other things she thought would be needed.He was in pretty bad shape after all.

She purchased her items and walked back home. She trudged up the stairs to Sephiroth's room and sat on the bed next to him.

"Hey, wake up." She said softly to him, while gently shaking his shoulders.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. "I've got to get you cleaned up."

He silently obliged, turning on to his side to giver her access to his cut up back.Tifa sighed, she had a lot of work ahead of her.She wiped the wounds clean and bandaged them.She worked with out question, hearing nothing form him but an occasional whimper when the antiseptic stung.

She gave him an antidote and started to clean up her mess. 

"Who did this to you?" She asked him, as she threw away empty boxes and torn wrappers.

"Don't you remember?" Sephiroth said.

"What?"

"Strife did this to me.His Omnislash." He said.

She just looked at him, she didn't know what to say.

"Why are you helping me?" He asked her.

"Leaving you there to die would go against who I am.Even if you deserve death." She muttered.

Sephiroth said nothing.He simply turned his gaze to the peeling wallpaper that covered the walls around him."I'm sorry." 

"What?" Tifa said.

"I am sorry.For everything I did to you.Your father, your hometown, Cloud."

Tifa didn't know what to say to that.It was rather unexpected.She could sense that it was truly sincere.That he was sorry.

"Thank you.Now, you better get some sleep."

And with that, Tifa walked out the door, and down the stairs to the living room.She flipped on the T.V. and nuzzled into a soft chair in front of it.She tried to watch the news, but her thoughts kept turning back to the silver haired menace a floor above her.She stared at the T.V. listening to the late night infomercials, but drowsiness took over and she soon fell asleep to the incessant droning of some stupid weight loss plan.

AN: ok there's chapter one! isn't it great!? anyway.. Because of all the stuff that happened at the end of the game the life stream thing like it said above, there's a little pool out side Nibelheim.And I figured that since Nibelheim is in the mountains, that there would be a forrest around right? So I added that thing in there! Ok, I hope you people liked it, and remember to review it!


	3. Two

Someone to Love

-two-

It had been about a week and a half that he'd been bed ridden in Tifa's home.He still didn't understand why she chose to take a monster like him in, but he never refused the help.Every day, she'd come in and change the dressing on his wounds.She'd bring him soup at noon on the dot and made sure his poisoning was kept in check.

Sephiroth was grateful for her help, but she did things so mechanically.It seemed to him that she did the everyday things just because she had to.It disturbed him.Someone as kind and lovely as her was sure to be on the arm of a rich and handsome man who loved her dearly.

Sephiroth woke to the sound of clanging dishes and slew of curse words coming from downstairs.He didn't pay much attention to it.He looked out the window and at the night sky.He heard more crashing and even more obscenities.His body still hut him a bit, but that didn't stop him from getting out of bed to make sure that his hostess didn't injure herself too badly.He looked around the room, trying to find something to cover himself in.He spotted a black t shirt and a pair of black boxer shorts on a chair near by.

He slipped into them.They were a bit too small for his muscular frame, but they would do.Once again, more dishes crashed against the hard wood floor of the small kitchen.Tifa shouted to no one it seemed.He left the bedroom and found his way to the stairs.

He walked down the stairs, very carefully so as not to loose his balance and hurt himself more than he already was, and down into the kitchen to see Tifa sitting on the floor surrounded by broken dishes.She was holding her head in her bleeding hands, her hair a mess around her face.It looked like she was crying.Sephiroth immediately forgot his own injuries, and went to Tifa's side. 

"What do you want?" She asked him, wiping a tear from her eyes, but leaving a crimson streak down the side of her face.

"To see if you're all right."He said.

"Why would you care?"She said her voice full of venom.Her brown-red eyes stared into his blue ones."And, aren't I supposed to be taking care of you."

Sephiroth rolled his eyes.He spotted some bandages, cotton swabs and antiseptic on the kitchen table and walked to over to it, careful to not allow his bare feet to get cut on the shards of glass strewn about the floor.He picked up the supplies and kneeled next to Tifa.She stared off into space, looking at the back of the couch, disregarding the pain she felt in her bloodied hands.

Sephiroth picked up her one of her hands.She immediately snatched it away."I can take care of myself."

"Do you have a problem with someone trying to help?It looks like you're all alone here."He said.Tifa stared at him and burst into a fresh bout of tears.

"Thanks for the insensitivity you arrogant jerk!"She said through the tears.

"What? I wasn't trying to be mean, you took it the wrong way!" He said, his voice carried just below a shout.

She gazed up at him.Her blood shot eyes met his and found a genuine care for her.How he could possibly care in the least bit for her when they've been in the same house for only a week and a half?

Tifa gave up, and held her hands out to his, a drop of blood fell from one of her fingertips and onto the ivory skin of her thigh.Sephiroth took a cotton swab form the bag and soaked up the blood as best as he could.He worked diligently, making sure that every abrasion was tended to just as she had done to him.Tifa watched him in amazement.She was amazed that this man, this man who the vast population of the planet had branded a monster, was sitting on the floor tending to her self inflicted wounds.

"There." He said.He held her by her shoulder, and lifted her to her feet and led her across the thrashed kitchen and to the living room.He sat her on the couch and turned on the T.V. to the local cartoon station. "There you go.Lick and Frisky, they're funny."

"What do you take me for?A two year old?"She said to him, glairing at him.

"Now, don't you move from this spot young lady until I'm finished cleaning up the mess you mane."

"You're pathetic!"

"Not as pathetic as you."

Tifa wanted to say something witty to him in response for his heartless comment, but she knew in her heart, that he was right.She was pathetic for her lame attempt to kill herself.And, deep down, she was thankful that he was here to stop her.

After seeing that Tifa was partly engrossed in the stupid antics of Lick and Frisky, he went to work on the kitchen.She certainly had done a bang up job.He had a lot of work ahead of him.He found a broom and dustpan in the pantry next to the stove.He swept up the remains of what were once beautiful dishes and threw them away.Before the mess of meteor and such, he wouldn't have thought that he'd ever clean a mess like this, tend to a person he hardly knew.

He had just a bout completed the clean up when something caught his eye.A picture of the wonderful Cloud Strife was pinned to the wooden floor, right at the forehead, by a bloody shard of glass.He didn't exactly know what it meant, but he could take a guess.

He didn't make much of it.He just pried the glass form the floor and left the picture of Strife alone.She could decide what she wanted to do with it later.

He cleaned his now, bloody hands.They were covered in her blood and a bit of his form the nicks and cuts the glass had done to his hands.The blood came off, but to him, he could still see it.Blood of countless people that him and his sword hand taken form people.He could never get those stains clean.He was haunted by what he had done in the past, and he wondered why he was alive now.

He told himself to get away from such heavy thoughts.Tifa needed help.And even if he hardly knew her, he felt that he should keep her form hurting her self.He owed her that much.

Sephiroth made his way to the couch to find Tifa still enthralled in the cartoons.She actually seemed interested in it.

"You know… This is actually a pretty good cartoon if you get over the silly gags the play on each other."Tifa said, not directly to him exactly.

"Is it now?"

"Yeah…" Tifa trailed off, not knowing what to say next."I want to thank you, I'm really sorry for what I did."

"For what? Almost killing you self or cleaning up the mess?"

"Both I guess...If you hadn't have been there, who knows what I would of done to myself."She said, looking down at her lap.

"Why did you do it?"

"I was mad.I couldn't help it."

"That's a stupid reason for an attempted suicide."He said.

Tifa took much offence."Look, are you going to accept my apologyor what?!"

Sephiroth laughed at her."Okay, I forgive you."

"Good."

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

AN: For all of you kind people who reviewed my ficcie, I went and mad another chapter for all ya'll! I really can't thank you enough! Now you kind of get what's going on here.It's not a Tifa takes care of Sephy fic… It's a Sephy takes care of Tifa fic!So anyway, thanks again to you 7 so far people who reviewed it!

--Jobi!


	4. Three

Someone to Love

-three-

            Cartoons were certainly good.  Despite what all the grand parents and teachers would tell kids about Cartoons rotting minds. They would watch them anyway. Sephiroth and Tifa would sit on the couch and watch the Cartoon Channel for hours on end.  They both liked them for some reason.  Sephiroth had grown fond of Lick and Frisky while Tifa enjoyed the Wutiaan Animation that played during the daytime while kids should be at school.

            A whole month passed without incidence.  Tifa got back on track with her self, and hadn't tried anything remotely dangerous.  While Sephiroth recovered unconsciously.  They soon found that they got along rather well.  They would only get in a few squabbles here and then and only over petty things like what to watch or what to eat, and even then it wasn't too bad, she had even cut his hair for him.  Now it was a neat short cut that most men had.

            Tifa hands healed nicely, mostly because of Sephiroth's military medical skills.  She had to admit to herself that he wasn't that bad of a guy.  Yeah he was the man that had killed her father and Burned down her hometown, but he seemed like he knew what he did was wrong and that he was trying to repent for it.   So, with that in mind, she didn't hold too much against him.

            Tifa sat on her floor of her room, under he window reading a book she'd found under her bed.  It was a book the Aeris apparently left for her when they had come through Nibelheim before she died.  There was a note written on the inside of the front cover asking her to be happy in the years to come.

            She had read it once already.  It was a book about a woman who was forced to marry a man who she had sworn only to hate.  She didn't quite understand what Aeris had meant by giving this to her, but it was a good book, and she was appreciative of Aeris to think of her.

            The pages seemed too heavy for her to turn as an afternoon drowsiness took over her.  She pulled a pillow down from her bed and placed it on the floor next to her.  She was too lazy to pick herself up and  get in her bed.  She laid down and curled up with the book open beside her.

            "Damn it Tifa, look at this" Sephiroth bellowed form the bathroom.  He hadn't heard on of Tifa's semi snotty remarks at his less than vulgar language, and he began to worry a little bit.  "Look, see my hair is turning black!" He said as he walked down the hall, holding a tuft of silver hair with the faintest of black roots up to show her.  He found her sound asleep on the floor with a content smile on her face.

            He smiled at her.  She looked so peaceful with the afternoon light falling on her form.  He walked over to her, picked her up and put her on the bed.

            "Hey, I was comfy." Tifa weakly protested, still half asleep.

            "Well, you would have had one hell of a backache if I had left you there."

            Tifa giggled and nuzzled her face into her pillow.  "You're probably right.  And think of the hell I'd give you for it!"

            "We wouldn't want that would we?"  He said with a smile still on his face.

            "You have a nice smile." Tifa stated.

            "Do I?"

            "Yep, it's very handsome." She said, her eyes were struggling to stay open she was so tired.  "You have nice teeth too.  They're so straight and white and stuff."

            Sephiroth laughed.  "Well, why don't you dream of my straight, white teeth and impeccable simile."

            "Sure, why not.  It beats the nightmares of Cloud I've been having lately."

            "What happened to Cloud anyway?"  He asked.

            Tifa looked at the ceiling.  "He left…"  She said in a dream like voice. "He left, never to return."

            Sephiroth didn't know what to say to this.  He simply pulled up the covers and got up from the bed.  He pulled the curtains shut and headed for the door.

            "Have a good nap." Was all he said before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

            He made his way to the living room and sat himself down on the couch.  His head was heavy with thoughts.  Most of them to incoherent for him to dwell on.  It was strange what she could do to him sometimes.  It was even stranger to him that she had considered him a friend.  Why would she want to do that?

            He found himself sleepy too, laid his head down onto one of the stiff pillows of the couch.  He stared at the blackness of the T.V. in front of him.  What was it about her that made him want to smile all the time?  Sure, she was nice and all, but was there something more to it than that?

            The deep thoughts that ravaged his mind, soon lulled him into a peaceful sleep.  He dreamed of only the kind woman with chestnut hair, who showed him a kindness he'd never known.

- - -

            It had only been a few hours before Tifa was awoken with the severe need to pee.  She angrily got out of bed and stormed to the bathroom to do her business.  When she got out, she figured that she should cook dinner this time since Sephiroth had been doing it almost every night for the past month.

            She walked down the stairs and into the living room.  She heard Sephiroth's light snoring and laughed a bit.  She found the newspaper on the floor next the door, still rolled and bound.  She picked up and wandered in front of the couch to Sephiroth's sleeping form, all sprawled about.  She then got a wicked idea in her head.

            "Wake up!" She said quite loudly, then hit him on the head with the newspaper.

            "What the heck!" He shouted loudly, jumping off the couch with incredible speed.

            Tifa laughed.  She laughed so hard her eyes began to tear.  She doubled over and pointed at him, still laughing like there was no tomorrow.  Sephiroth smiled.  It was kind of funny.

            "Damn girl, that hurt!" He said, rubbing the top of his head where she had whacked him.

            Tifa had tried to turn and leave, but Sephiroth grabbed her arm and flung her on the couch, and pinned her to it with his body. Tifa stared into his blue eyes and smiled.  They stayed that way for a while, just looking into each others eyes, like they were hypnotized by something hidden deep within them.

            "Are you going to let me go now?" Tifa asked, her voice soft.

            "Now, why would I want to do that."

            "Because, if you don't I'll throw you off myself."

            Sephiroth laughed. "I'd like to see you try."

            Tifa tried with all her might to push him off her, but she couldn't.  He just pushed his knees into the cushions of the couch harder just to spite her.

            "Come on! Let me go!" She said, hitting his chest with a closed fist. Finally, as her last hope, she resorted to pleading. "Pretty please?"

            Sephiroth sighed in defeat and got up. "How could I resist that." She laughed.

            Tifa stood up and walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.  "So, what do you want for dinner." 

            "I don't know." He said, shoving his hands into the pocket's of his pants and walked over to her.  "I could always make eggs. They haven't killed you yet." 

            "Nah, we don't have any bacon.  Eggs have to be cooked in a big pan of bacon grease."

            "That's sick." He stated, looking at her.

            "Yeah well I didn't hear you complain when I made you greasy eggs when you first came here."

            "You fed me that crap!?"

            "Yeah, so?"

            "We're going out!"

            "Huh? Going out? I don't think so."  Tifa stood there in disbelief.

            "Like hell we aren't!"  He said, walking to the coat rack.  He grabbed his coat and threw Tifa hers.

            "Its almost eleven! I'm not going out!?"  She said, setting her coat on the back of a near by chair.

            "Fine, I'll go by myself."  He said, then he walked out the door.

            "Hey, wait for me!" Tifa shouted. She put on her coat, grabbed her keys and walked out the door.

- - -

AN: Ok... I'm sure that all of you know by now that Sephy is severely OC. But there's a point to that and it'll be revealed later! Ok? And for your kind reviews… Here's my thanx list!

Here's a big ole thanks to…

Kris

lx Tifa xl

Faertyte

Tifa

Laurenicole6885

Ann

Codie

ZoAz Kasumi

Chocobo Goddess

RiceC25

And Star_Lancer

Thankyou SOO MUCH! I've never gotten this may review EVER… and It's starting to scare me

Ok.. I'll shut up now…

--Jobi!


	5. Four

Someone to Love

-four-

            Elevator music filled the lobby of Nibelheim's only fast food restaurant, which Tifa and Sephiroth were currently at.  The place was beyond dead.  The only thing to he heard, besides the corny music, the occasional clang of metal racks, or the crews boisterous behavior. Then there was the kid behind the counter that wouldn't stop wheezing. The kid looked about 16, and had the pimples to prove it.

            "Welcome to Burger Happy.  Can I take you order?" the kid managed to say.

            Tifa looked up at Sephiroth who was intently staring at the menu board before him.  Sephiroth just stood there for a minute or too, sighing a couple of times, shifting his weight from one foot to another.

            "Would you make up your mind already?!"  Tifa said, hitting him on the head.

            "Oh, yeah. I'll have a cheese burger."  He said.

            "It took you five minutes to decide on a cheese burger?"

            "So? You want anything?" He asked her.

            "No." Tifa said, glaring at him.

            "That will be 36 gil please." Said the wheezy kid.

            Sephiroth gave him his 36 gil and stood by the counter, tapping his fingers on it in some terribly off beat rhythm.  The kid returned from the back area with a greasy cheese burger in hand.  You could clearly see the grease seeping trough the paper wrapper.

            "So you'll eat a greasy cheese burger, but not my greasy eggs?" 

            "Yep." Was all he said as he took his greasy burger to one of the many booths around the lobby of the restaurant.  They sat down together, Tifa on one side and Sephiroth on the other.   He instantly dived into his burger.

            Tifa could hardly believe her eyes.  This was not what she expected a semi domesticated Sephiroth to be.  He wasn't hostile in the least.  He was overly sarcastic, and incredibly nice.  It was so strange to her.  He was one of the nicest men she'd ever known.  Tifa sighed and rested her arms on the table and looked at Sephiroth in the eyes.

            "You weren't like this before… you know." She asked.

            It took him a minute before he knew just exactly what she meant.  "I was."

            "You were?"

            "Yeah.  What, you didn't expect me to be some horrible person that killed people for the hell of it did you?"

            Tifa didn't know what to say to that.  She looked at her hands, then at the wheezy kid, and back to Sephiroth.

            "I see, you're one of those people."

            "One of which people?"

            "The rest of the fucking world." 

            Tifa knew what he meant.  And she felt guilty.

            "You got to see that Jenova screwed me over, ok?  When I was at my weakest, she took over, and did what she wanted. Burning down Nibelheim, killing your father. For all purposes necessary, Cloud Strife killed me in the reactor."

            "What do you mean by that?"

            "I mean I don't remember what happened afterwards! All I remember is feeling trapped inside a defunct body, which was possessed and doing things that in actuality I'd never do, Strife throwing me into the reactor, then waking up in the forest a month ago." He said.

            Tifa soon began to stitch pieces in her mind.  Maybe, he really had no control over what he did.

            "Really?" Tifa asked quietly.

            "I wanted to thank and apologize to him and you.  For all that I've done."  Sephiroth looked in his eyes.  The look of guilt and resentment was all to clear behind his eyes. "So, what happened to you after… uh… you know?"

            "I went to Midgar.  Got all fixed up."  She said, she knew what he meant by "you know".

            "You don't still have a scar do you?"

            Tifa simply pulled down the collar of her shirt to reveal the faintest pearly line.  "Yeah, I've still got it." 

            Sephiroth felt guilty. He felt beyond guilty. "Come on, let's go."

            Tifa was a little surprised at his sudden decision to leave, but didn't protest it.  They both got up and left the restaurant.  Sephiroth was mindful to throw his trash in a designated receptacle though.  The walked together in the frigid air, down the peaceful streets of Nibelheim.

            "I believe you." Tifa said unexpectedly.

            "What?"

            "I believe what you said.  That you had no control over what was happening."  She said as she shuffled beside him during the walk home.

            "And why is that?"

            "Because, it happened to Cloud too.  Remember, he was a Puppet?"  She said.

            "So was I."  He said. "I never wanted to be though.  All I wanted was to be, in the least bit respected, I never wanted to be weak." He stopped dead in his tracks.

            She hadn't noticed that he'd stopped until he was well behind her and she stopped hearing his foot falls on the crunchy frosted grass.  She turned around to see him staring at the ground in silence.  She walked up to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

            "No one ever said you were weak." She said.

            He lifted his head and looked into her eyes.  He saw a genuine kindness in her that he'd never known.  "I'm sorry for I'll I've done to you.  Can you forgive me?"

            "No, you don't deserve an apology."

            He was utterly confused.  The way she said it was quick and light.  Like she was joking almost.

            "You don't deserve forgiveness for a crime you didn't commit." She said, a smile creeping onto her cheeks.  Sephiroth smiled as well, now feeling that some unknown burden being lifted from his soul.

            "Come on, let's go home." She said, grabbing him by the hand and leading him to her house.

--

AN: omg… I'm so sorry for the crappish ending!  I have school and stuff you know. not to mention writers block but I felt that I had to get you a chapter before the end of the week.  I do like the restaurant scene!  Ok? Now I can rest easy… 

Visit Raccoon City!

http://nukedcity.porboards13.com

jobi out!


	6. Five

Someone to Love

-five-

            Another couple of months passed Tifa by like a blur.  It seemed that she and Sephiroth only grew closer with each passing day.  They were inseparable.  They did everything together.    She loved having him there too.  She loved not being alone, having some one there.  Even if it was Sephiroth.

            Sephiroth too enjoyed her company.  He'd never had thought that Tifa would warm up to him as quickly as she did, or even at all for that matter.  He thought for certain that he'd get the boot after he had healed. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that it was her original plan, but he was happy that it hadn't come to pass yet.  The whole thing meant more to him than it showed.

            Tifa had gone out to the Shinra mansion earlier in the day.  Apparently she was taking care of the mail and plants for a friend of hers that lived there.  Why anyone would want to live there was beyond him.  That place was full of nightmares, so many that he didn't even want to fathom going there.  But according to Tifa, that was exactly why he was living there.

            He decided that he was going to surprise Tifa.  According to a letter from one of her friends, it was her birthday.  Her twenty second birthday.  He was going to clean the house and make a fancy dinner he saw in a women's magazine he'd found on the floor of Tifa's room.  It was going to be great! After all, he did kind of owe her.  He thought it was a bit funny too.  The legendary General Sephiroth Doing common chores.  If only Hojo could see him now.  Sephiroth smirked .

            He cleaned the first floor in record time.  The living room couch even got vacuumed.  He made his was upstairs, picked up the hall way of Tifa's freshly cleaned laundry that she had yet to put away.  He picked up the bathroom, even though it was hardly used at all.  He glanced at him self in the mirror.  His black roots were getting even more evident as his hair grew longer.  It must have been his little swim in the life stream.  He wondered if he was purified of Jenova.  He hoped it were so.

            He wandered into his own room, which was the messiest.  But, it wasn't his fault.  Apparently it was Tifa's storage room before he came.  He gathered all the papers into one pile and put them next to her dusty piano.  He moved four large boxes from under the window and put them into the closet.  When he moved the last box, he found an opened envelope underneath it.  It was plain with "for Tifa" written on it in plain blue ink, with a few splatters of what looked like blood, but Sephiroth couldn't be sure.

            Of course, his new found curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to take a peek inside.  A single sheet of lined paper was all that was inside.  He pulled it out of the envelope and started to read it.  Whoever wrote it certainly had nice handwriting.

_Dear Tifa._

_There were so many things that I wanted to tell you.  About what was going on inside me.  The pain that I felt for what seemed like no reason.  And, every time I tried to tell you, I'd look into your beautiful eyes, and I couldn't find the words, or, I couldn't bear to tell you.  I'm so sorry for what I've done.  I'm sure that I've hurt you more than I realize right now.  You're probably reading this next to my dead body, with your eyes all red and puffy, and shaking, like you usually do when you're sad.  I think that when you're most beautiful..  I know that you love me, and believe me when I say that I love you too.  I just couldn't go on living.  It felt to me that the entire world kept moving forward with life, and that I was being left behind.  I feel that my life died with Sephiroth.  That my life doesn't have much of a purpose anymore now that he's dead.  And don't you even for one second think that I've killed myself over Aeris! Ok?! Not for one single minute! It wasn't her that made me do this.  It's a bunch of other reasons, and none of which have anything to do with her.  But, I still love you, and I'll always love you.  I just want you to be happy.  Find another love.  I know you can.  I mean, only a complete monster devoid of any emotion could resist the Tifa Lockhart charm.  Don't be depressed over me.  I'm not worth it.  Don't do anything stupid alright! I love you, and I want you to be happy._

_Love Cloud._

            Sephiroth was stunned.  He was left speechless.  He all of a sudden felt very guilty again.

            "I feel like my life died with Sephiroth?" He quoted the note questioningly.

            He let out a heavy sigh and pocketed the note.  He felt it was something that shouldn't be thrown away.  Sephiroth finished his chores, and made his way downstairs, and began to work on dinner.  Domesticated Chocobo meat, steamed Milmett greens, a thick Northern Continent soup, and a bottle of fine wine from the Kalm area wineries.  He set the food on the table and arranged it all nice like, with a Nibel Rose of May in the center.   He went upstairs again, put on a pair of dark black slacks and a black sweater and went back downstairs just in time to see Tifa come in.

            "What's all this for?" She asked.

            "Happy Birthday." He said with a smile as he walked to her and gave her a spare rose.

            "How did you know…?" She trailed off, then it hit her.  She'd left the birthday card Cid and Shera had sent her on the kitchen table.  "Thank you." She said, instantly sniffing it.  She always loved May Roses the best.

            "I made dinner!" He said excitedly.

            "I saw that." She said walking over to the neatly decorated table. "Why don't I go change before we eat."

            Sephiroth said nothing, but only watched her climb up the stairs.  He sighed.  She didn't seem to excited.  What was he doing wrong?

            He heard her come down the stairs and when he saw her, he had to remember to breathe.  She was was wearing one of those "little black dresses" that all women supposedly had.  It was very conservative.  No low cut collar for massive amounts of cleavage, and no high slit.

            "You, look…nice." 

            "Thank you." She said again. "I just thought we should match." She said with a smile.  

            They ate dinner together.  They talked about different things.  Tifa mentioned things that were happening around town, what was happening with her friends, and how surprised to find that Sephiroth could cook.  Sephiroth mostly listened to her.  He just liked the sound of her voice, in a way, he felt it comforting.  He gave her birthday gift to her, a simple silver bracelet, with small star shaped charms that made a melodic jingle when she moved her wrist..  She loved it, and immediately put it on, looking at how it seemed to reflect every ray of light that it managed to catch.  Now they were sitting outside on the well, looking up at the stars.

            "You know, this is where I talked, truly talked, to Cloud for the first time."

            "Really?"

            "Yeah," She said. "I said that I'd miss him when he left for Soldier."  She said.

            Sephiroth was silent.  He had to say something to her about Cloud.

            "I figured it out." He said.

            "Figured what out?"  
            "Cloud." 

"What about him?" She asked

"I finally know what happened to him."

            Tifa tensed a bit, as she watched him pull out Cloud's note.  She began to get teary eyed and immediately ran for her house.  Sephiroth felt bad, and went after her.  When he made it through the front door, he could hear Tifa's door slam above him.  He climbed the stairs, and went to Tifa's door.  He opened the door to her room, and stepped in to find her in a weeping pile on her bed.

            "God, Tifa, I'm sorry." 

            "I had just managed to forget about him, and then you had to remind me!"  She yelled.  "Do you have to be so damn insensitive all the time!"  She said, getting up off of the bed and into his face.

            "I'm sorry!" He said, rather loudly.

            "Yeah, sure." 

            They stared at each other for a moment until they found themselves moving closer.  It was like, to both of them, they were being pulled together like polar opposites, and in a way, it was true.  Their lips met, and to Sephiroth, it felt like fireworks were going off inside his head.  He'd never felt that way before. Tifa felt the same way.  The kiss deepened, and it continued for what seemed like blissful eternity.  They were both experiencing something that was new, but exciting at the same time, and that only pressed them further. But, soon Tifa pulled away and went back to her bed.

            He didn't say a word, just moved to her bed and sat down next to her.  She got herself up, and wiped a fresh tear away from her cheek, and moved to rest her head against her back.  Sephiroth tensed.  Tifa pulled away while Sephiroth swung his legs up onto the bed and rested his head and upper back against her headboard.

            "Come here." He said, extending one arm.

            Tifa did, nestling herself next to him, with her head upon his chest.  She pulled herself up for a moment to give him another kiss, just a quick peck, but it was a kiss none the less.  She gave a sigh of contentment as she positioned her self back into that comfy spot in his arms.  "I think I'm falling for you." She said.

            "I already have."

***

AN: AWWW Smootchies!  How bad did it suck?! Come on… tell me! But, anyway.  I've noticed that a lot of you are concerned about the domesticated Sephy. And I don't care what you all think, I like it!  Every one else makes him this uptight dude that cant do anything for himself and makes the woman do everything for him! But, any way… don't mind me! Im crazed! Remember to read and review! Thanx a bunch for you reviews! If it hadn't had been for the fear of you all coming after me with torches and pitchforks, this fic never would have gotten as far as it has. : )

-- Jobi!


	7. Six

Someone to Love

-six-

            The midmorning sun filtered through the faded curtains to shine on Tifa and Sephiroth sleeping comfortably in each others arms.  And for the first time in a long time, both of them slept deep and peacefully through the entire night.  Tifa dreamed of someone other than cloud for once, and Sephiroth had a dream that didn't have a single death somewhere in it.

            Tifa opened her eyes, only for them to be assaulted by the bright light of the sun shining on her face.  She squinted and shifted her self so she was facing the other way, making her gaze carry to a sleeping Sephiroth.  He seemed so peaceful when asleep.  His eyes were peacefully closed, and his two toned hair was messed up from his erratic sleeping positions.  He certainly was a strange sleeper.   She heard him give a soft snore, then mumble something unintelligible and then roll on to his side.  Tifa couldn't help but giggle.  He was just so damn cute!

            After last night, she realized something.  She'd said that she was falling for him.  But, she knew that she did love him.  She didn't know how or when she fell in love with him.  Mabye it was the kiss, or maybe it had started way before that, when he'd saved her.  When he would just sit and listen to her and all of her twisted problems.  He genuinely cared, a feeling got from Cloud only once.  But, she received that feeling every day from him.  She smiled and nuzzled into his back.  For the first time, she was truly happy.

            There was a loud knock coming from the front door downstairs.  Tifa carefully got out of bed so as not to wake him.  She quietly crept out of the room and softly shut the door.  Then it was a mad dash for the door.  She nearly tripped over her own feet as she attempted to run down the stairs.  But by the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, she completely lost balance and was sent falling into the table.  Her impact sent some of the dishes to the floor, breaking most of them.  She got up her feet and  finally managed to open the door to find Vincent standing there looking at her very strangely.

            "Are you alright?!"

            "Vincent! You're back!" Tifa shouted.

            "Yes, you seem a little overdressed for a Friday morning."

            "Tifa? Are you alright?" She heard Sephiroth yell from upstairs.

            "Who is that?" Vincent asked.

            Tifa got a little nervous.  Should he tell him.  She was fighting with her inner conscious, but was "saved" by Sephiroth coming up behind her, and wrapping an arm around her waist.  Tifa looked a Vincent, and a look of disbelief washed over his face.  He looked at him, then at her, and back to him.

            "Friend of yours?" Sephiroth asked.

            "Uh… yeah.  This is Vincent."  She said, flashing a very weak smile to both of them.

            "Hello." Sephiroth said, completely oblivious to the significant impact the man before him had on his life. "You want some coffee?" 

            "No, no thank you." Vincent said quickly.

            Sephiroth nodded and went back into the house to start a pot of coffee for himself, Tifa and Vincent, should he change his mind later on.

            "I'm so sorry Vincent! I should have told you."

            "No, don't be sorry." He said quietly.  "When did he come?" 

            "A week or two after Cloud died, right after you left." 

            "So, he's been here for a while then." 

            "Yes." She said.

            "He's not…"

            "No! He's a perfect, normal, sane man." She said, putting emphasis on the word sane.

            Vincent peeked through the window to watch Sephiroth so intently make coffee.  It was the strangest thing.  

            "He needs to know." Vincent said, staring off.

            "Need's to know what?"

            "His past! He needs to know about Lucrecia."

            Tifa realized that he was right.  Now, Sephiroth was living blissfully in ignorance.  He knew that Jenova wasn't his mother, but also knew nothing about his true family.

            "I think that I'll have him go talk to you.  When he asks of course.  I don't want to force anything to heavy on him until he's ready and willing to accept it."

            Vincent nodded in agreement.  "I must get home.  I'm sure I have plenty of bills to pay.  Take care Tifa."  And with that, he waked off towards the Shinra mansion.

            Tifa gave a heavy sigh and walked back into the house.  She closed the door behind her and leaned against it.

            "What's wrong?" Sephiroth asked while pouring a cup of coffee for Tifa.

            "Nothing."

            "That man must have recognized me.  He doesn't want to kill me does he?"

            Tifa giggled.  "No.  He doesn't want to kill you.  From what I heard, he's what kept you from getting killed after you were born."

            "What?"

            "Vincent, is not what he appears.  He looks like he's twenty-seven, but he was around when you were born.  He knew your mother."

            Sephiroth dropped the cup, and it shattered all over the hardwood floor.  His body tensed up, and he looked up at the ceiling.

            "Sephiroth, are you okay?" She asked.

            "He knew my mother?" he whispered, turning his head to look at her.

            "Yes, yes he did.  I hear he loved her and you very dearly."

            So many thoughts flooded his mind at that moment.  He was loved as a child?  He didn't think it were possible.          "I have to talk to him."  He said.

            "Okay." 

             "You're coming with me."

            Tifa nodded.  Sephiroth grabbed her hand and squeezed it like there was no tomorrow, and together they walked to the Shinra mansion.

***

AN: Ok.. a short, BUT important chapter.  The next one will be long and probably boring, we all know Vincent/Sephiroth/Lucrecia backstory, but it needs to be done anyway right? Mabye I'll find a way to spice it up a little.

--Jobi!


	8. Seven

Someone to Love

seven-

He had been gone all day. She had wondered what was taking him so long. He had never been gone more that maybe five hours at a time. And, he was pushing 10.

Tifa sighed. She had hoped to return the favor, by making him a splendid dinner. But, what good would that do? So, she took a nap and slept until about 7, and then heated a can of Ravioli and sat on the couch watching T.V. The news channel out of Rocket Town (the nearest to Nibelheim) was covering the election, taking place in Midgar. It wasn't very interesting. Then the weather report showed radar of the massive rain cloud that was hovering over the Nibel Valley. 'Be thankful for the rain shadow.' She mused as the pitter patter of small rain drops on her roof grew into a thunderous downpour. Loud, boisterous dogs howled at the rain.

She sighed again. Was this all life had planned for her? Sitting on her couch eating from a can while she waited up for a man? Wow, what a boring life she mused. But, she had her fair share of excitement and adventure for one lifetime. Yes, her life was boring but, she was content. She had never been content in almost all her life.

The dogs were _still_ howling.

She looked at the clock, 10 pm. It was now 10 hours. She left Vincent's house at noon. Was he okay? She certainly hoped so. But, Sephiroth was strong, he can handle it… right?

And right at that moment, she had a surge of overwhelming fear run though her body. What if he couldn't take it? What if it triggered him into an emotional recession? What if he reverted into the crazed killer that had haunted her past for so long?

No, that couldn't happen, she reasoned. The mako was leaving him. His eyes were blue, and his hair was turning dark, he couldn't go crazy.

But, what if it made him leave? Cloud had left without so much as a goodbye, and it had been triggered emotionally? What would she do if Sephiroth left? Could she live alone again?

A million and one questions swirled around in her mind and there was no stopping. She suddenly felt so helpless and alone.

Then the door opened.

Sephiroth walked in, almost robotically, and shut the door behind him. He walked to the kitchen picked up a knife, and held it.

Tifa took a sharp inhalation of air.

Had he reverted?

Sephiroth looked at her. His eyes were puffy. He had been crying! He could cry? His black rooted hair was hanging imply in his face starting to curl at the ends from rains out side. She had never seen a man look so helpless in her whole life. Let alone this man.

"Sephiroth?" She asked quietly.

He made no response. Just stood there, looking into her eyes for some sort of answer.

"Sephiroth," she began. "I know what it's like…"

Did she?

"I know what it's like to have your world change in an instant." She took small steps toward him. He was still holding the knife.

"Sephiroth?"

Again he said nothing. The stood there, looking at eachother. A look of total desperation was etched onto the features of his face.

She was only inches away from him. She couldn't hear the rain, or the TV or the dogs next door anymore. All she could hear was every painful breath that he took, his soft whimpers, and her own deafening heartbeat.

After a painful minute, she extended her hand. Sephiroth's eyes darted from her hand, to the knife, to her eyes and back again.

"Sephiroth…"

And just like that, he shook his head, dropped the knife on the ground and sank to the floor after it.

He sobbed. And Tifa was right there for him.

"Tifa, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeated, and buried his face into the nape of her neck, and all Tifa did was coo, and hush him, like she would a small child. But, maybe that's what he needed.

After a few seconds, he composed himself.

"Tifa, I'm…" He began

"Don't say anything. I know, it's alright." She leaned in and pressed her lips to his. Almost, immediately, the despair that he felt melted away into this new and welcome sensation. He took initiative and deepened the kiss. He moved his had behind her neck and with cradled her face with the other.

"Thank you, Tifa." He said as he pulled away. Their foreheads touching, and he looked into her eyes so, intensely. She'd never seen such loving intensity before. Did he love her?

Tifa blushed.

And with that he picked himself up from the floor and helped her up too, and led her upstairs.

In Tifa's room he sat on the bed and Tifa was at his side. She ran a hand through his wet hair, and noticed, again, how his hair curled a bit when it was wet.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yes. I'm not going to go Insane." They both chuckled.

"Did you find out what you wanted to know?"

"No. But, I'm glad that I know what I do know, the Truth. It's hard, but…" he paused.

"But what?"

"It's hard but, nececessary. I'm 30! I should've known long ago who my Mother was, and what happened to me as a child. That part of my life is now over, and I wont have to worry about the past anymore. I can start fresh now and begin my life with you."

She was speechless.

"Life with me?" she gasped.

"That is, if you'll have me."

Tifa didn't say a word. This was what she had been wanting to hear her whole life practically. She pulled his head down to hers and kissed him. He took the signal and wrapped his arms around her waist and worked her underneath him. Their kiss sent sparks though each other, a bliss, a bliss that they couldn't, nor wanted to stop. It was all they could do for each other. They held and touched, and kissed, and fed more emotion into an Eden that they were creating in the night.

They were now connected. They were finally in a place where they didn't have to worry, and they didn't have to cry. They could be with one another and enjoy life. The clouds over their lives had parted, and there was nothing ahead of them but peace.

They had found themselves, and realized that there was someone to love.

I finished it. I know, long overdue, huh? I've just gotten back into the swing of fan fic writing. I Was recently inspired by Ksipesh and her completion of Guilt's Cost which I had been following, since my Freshman year of High School. I'm Quickly approaching my Senior Year, and felt compelled to finish this one fic, which had meant so much to me. Sorry for the TWO year delay. I feel really bad for that. But, I left it open so I could perhaps create more, but I feel that I finally gave it the ending that it needed.

Thanks—Jobi.


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